September 2017 Community Focus Grants
17 non-profits receive funding to support tranformational outcomes for youth in the Richmond region.
RICHMOND, VA. (September 15, 2017) – Continuing to reflect the organization’s focus on helping to transform the broad continuum of education in the Richmond region, Robins Foundation has selected 17 local nonprofits to share in nearly $1 million in grants designed to support the needs and demands of underserved and under-performing students in the Greater Richmond area.
Literacy, trauma-informed care, OST and college preparation are some of the issues that have been highlighted by local school districts and are addressed as a part of this cycle’s grantees. Four grants totaling $230,000 have been awarded to organizations partnering directly with schools within Henrico County and Richmond Public Schools to provide access to educational resources for students of challenging circumstances. The work performed by Greater Richmond SCAN (early childhood), Literacy Lab (elementary), Higher Achievement (middle school), and Partnership for the Future (high school) includes intensive time with students preparing them for success as they move along the education continuum.
In addition to direct services, macro-level efforts were also supported in the September cycle. Two grants of $75,000 have been awarded to the following organizations:
- In Media Res (Thriving Cities) ($75,000) to support community-driven, collaborative work in the Southside community. The work will increase the collective agency of the Jefferson Davis Corridor through multi-constituent shared knowledge and resident inclusion in the process of developing solutions to community needs and opportunities.
- Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) ($75,000) to support work with local school districts to educate teachers, administrators and other faculty about equity and inclusion. The initiative develops a critical mass of stakeholders in education who are prepared to lead efforts to eliminate disparities based on race and socio-economic status in order to increase academic achievement and outcomes.
“Robins Foundation is working to support an ecosystem wherein every student can receive an excellent education and a solid foundation for career and/or college,” said Kelly Chopus, Chief Executive Officer, Robins Foundation. “Successfully improving education outcomes throughout our region requires coordinated action.”
The following is the complete list of September 2017 grantees:
September 2017 Grant Recipients:
| Blue Sky Fund | Explorers Program | $50,000 |
| CHIP of Virginia | COV-PCAV Consolidation – Moving Forward | $60,000 |
| Conexus | Conexus/Vision to Learn Mobile – Richmond | $30,000 |
| Greater Richmond SCAN | Early Childhood Development: Trauma Treatment and Resilience | $60,000 |
| Higher Achievement | From Middle School Students to Future College Alumni | $60,000 |
| In Media Res | Place-Based Thriving in Richmond’s Jefferson Davis Corridor | $75,000 |
| Legal Aid Justice Center | JustChildren | $35,000 |
| Literacy Lab | The Literacy Lab Richmond | $60,000 |
| Metropolitan Richmond Sportsbackers | Support Grassroots Advocacy for Bike/Walk Infrastructure for Metro Area School | $50,000 |
| Partnership for the Future | Guiding High School Students from Challenging Circumstances to Attain Their College Degrees | $50,000 |
| Special Olympics VA | RPS PELT Pilot Phase 2 | $50,000 |
| St. James Children’s Center | Preparing Young Hearts and Minds for Life | $30,000 |
| United Way of Greater Richmond | Richmond Youth Program Quality Intervention | $50,000 |
| Valentine Museum | Controversy History and the Capital Region Collaborative | $25,000 |
| Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities | Educational Equity Initiative | $75,000 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation | Richmond Teacher Residency | $53,000 |
| Virginia Mentoring Partnership | Elevating the Quality and Capacity of Youth Mentoring Programs in Richmond | $60,000 |
For more information about the Robins Foundation, including other grant categories and deadlines, please visit the foundation’s website at www.RobinsFDN.org or the foundation’s Facebook page. Members of the press are welcome to contact us regarding Robins Foundation or any initiatives supported by the Foundation.
For media inquiries please call Frances Burruss at (804) 625-3457.